AtlasFan

I think there is more to this than DC's (or Kanigher's) desire to keep the majority of its war stories set in WW2. If you look through the entire body of what DC was publishing in the 50s & early 60s, there is virtually no mention of the Reds and a protagonist in any stories: superhero, mystery, sci-fi fantasy or war. Even the espionage books (like DANGER TRAIL - King Faraday, Johnny Peril, etc.) never mentions the Reds by name...the adversary is always "a foreign power". This really shows clearly when DC takes over BLACKHAWKS from Quality and all the Red villains/themes vanish. Marvel, on the other hand regularly injected the Red Menace into all its titles...right up to its super-hero rebirth (the FF, Hulk and Iron Man all had Red Menace themes involved in their origins). It would be most interesting to investigate the politics of the owners and editors of DC during this period .. to see if a pattern develops. Bill

There are a smattering of Communist antagonists covers and stories in the BIG 5 during the Korean War, but they all but vanish after 1953 when the war ends. I always suspected that the management at DC may have been "sympathetic" to the cause. I do recall reading -- I believe it was an interview with Kanigher -- that the management at DC leaned a bit twords the left, thus squashing several of his Red themed war stories. And that DC owners Harry Donenfeld & Jack Liebowitz had strong ties to certain radical unions in the 20s and 30s.

I am doing a little research based on a discussion in (of all places) the Timely-Atlas Yahoo Group of Communist themes in DC comics during the 50's and early 60's. Red Chinese/Russian and Korean adversaries were common in Atlas/Marvel, Quality, Standard, etc war books...but are as rare as hen's teeth in DC books. This is made really apparent when DC takes over the BLACKHAWKS series from Quality. In the Quality run, most of the team's adversaries are Reds..very shortly after DC takes over, all the Communist villains disappear and the team turns mainly into monster-fighters. Could anyone here opine as to why DC was so soft on using the Reds as villians? many thanks, Bill PS: I posted a similar thread in the War Comics thread over at SILVER, looking for any DC Stories with the Reds as the bad guys.

Howdy all you war comic buffs: I am doing a little research based on a discussion in (of all places) the Timely-Atlas Yahoo Group of Communist themes in DC comics during the 50's and early 60's. Red Chinese/Russian and Korean adversaries were common in Atlas/Marvel, Quality, Standard, etc war books...but are as rare as hen's teeth in DC war books. This is made really apparent when DC takes over the BLACKHAWK series from Quality. In the Quality run, most of the team's adversaries are Reds..very shortly after DC takes over, all the Communist villains disappear and the team turns mainly into monster-fighters. Could anyone here identify any major post-WW2 era stories in DC war books from the 50's/early 60s that deals with the Reds -- or opine as to why DC was soft on using the Reds as villians? many thanks, Prof. Bill

Mick, Those pre-hero B&Bs are just out of this world! Great covers and even better interior art! The only adventure series that comes close is ROBIN HOOD & BLACK KNIGHT...love those series. Bill

Paging Dr Pluto..Dr Pluto...paging Dr Pluto...

How about a preview here?

Great Scott and Good Grief!!! A couple of fun HOM covers.

People collect covers with playing cards, covers with the Status of Liberty, and even covers borrowed from or influended by Norman Rockwell paintings. That'd be interesting to see a collection of covers with the Earth on them and see how long this list would be. Pre-hero MYSTERY IN SPACE covers have a lot of "Earth in a window" covers...here are a few: Stop on by the Silver Age forum for more! Bill

Nice! This is "officially" classified as a Dr Strange prototype, but the sorcerer in the story always reminded my of the young Victor Von Doom from FF Ann #2. Also, I really like the way the young lady's hair is blowing in the wind...it makes the cover really dynamic...almost a 3-D effect.

Just got these puppies in...

Here is a recently aquired goodie...another nice Kane cover. Gee, I wonder if there are any US grammer schools that teach any of those subjects anymore?

Nice GROGG..that is a sweet book!...GROGG comes in 2 flavors, you know, lemon & lime!

The only westerns I really like these days are the Dell books drawn by either Russ Manning or Alex Toth. Those are some sweet books...and a reasonable prices too!

Oh boy, where were you a year ago when I sold a bunch of GENE AUTRY's, STRAIGHT ARROWs, ALL-AMERICAN WESTERNS, KID COLTs and RENO BROWNEs? I sold em on ebay for next to nothing. Then there was the time I sold all my MASS. pedigree KID COLTS, RAWHIDE KIDs and TWO-GUNs to Metro....oh well.

Tish Tosh. These "Kirby monster westerns" as you call them, dont exist...they are an urban myth. {using the RingMasters hat} You will forget...forget...

Here is a nice Gil Kane cover...who can beat paratroopers being abducted by flying discs!

I am so glad you asked...it has to be John Broome and Murphy Anderson's ATOMIC KNIGHTS. What a great seriers. DC stories of this era rarely got involved with Cold War issues, but in the case of the Atomic Knights, DC got a little more daring. Its a great ongoing story of man's ability to survive and thrive in a post-atomic war world...as Gayle Garner and his fellow knights slowly rebuild society. Of course, battling atomic mutants and subterranean menaces just adds more flavor to their tales. Here is the only Atomic Knights cover...

Another big-headed alien cover! This issue has the first app of my second favorite SA series: SPACE MUSEUM. In every story, which takes place in the far-future, Tommy Parker and his dad visit the Museum. An obscure object is picked from a display and Tommy's dad spins a tale about how the item saved the Universe! Wonderful stuff, with great art by Mike Sekowsky.

Ugh...what an ugly book. Listen, I will do you a BIG favor and take it off your hands. No...no..dont thank me!

Here's a great cover & story by Gil Kane. Not only does Captain Comet (kinda) make a cameo on the cover, but I would say that the Martian here could be considered a prototype of my favorite Green Lantern, Tomar-Re! Bill

Hew Tom, ST 79 is one of the best ST covers...period. Here are a few others I like: And one of the only monster vs monster covers (by Kirby & Ditko):

The finely detailed overhead landscape views play right into Anderson's strengths as an artist. That's definitely one of my favorite covers of his! Did someone say Murphy Anderson covers? The man is the KING of sci-fi covers. Here are some of my favorites: I love the details on this one. Super-rare to find in nice shape. It took me quite a while to land this book. One of the best wash-tone covers, IMO.

No Kirby stories in WOF 19, only the cover...There are a couple of nice Sinnott, Ditko and Heck stories that are just masterpieces!

Cool book! Nice one Jim!! Always cool to see one I hadn't seen before. Also has to be one of the only pink monster covers. Since you mentioned it...here are a couple of "pink pussycat" Marvel monsters...